Volume 1, Chapter 115: Severed

“Truly, passion runs deep in noble families. President Chu in the VIP ward dotes on his girlfriend to an extreme degree.”

“No kidding. Last night, when I went to check the rounds at five in the morning, President Chu hadn’t gone to bed. Instead, he was sitting beside Miss Song, propping his chin on his hand, gazing at her with such intensity—oh my, it was so affectionate and captivating.”

“I heard they’ve been together since high school. It seems Miss Song’s health isn’t the best, and President Chu remembers every little detail about her.”

“Yes, and to keep Miss Song from feeling lonely, he even brought their cat over from home to keep her company. Honestly, it’s unbearably sweet.”

The nurses’ chatter flowed into Pei Jingmo’s ears, making his already pale face grow darker and colder.

Song Qingyu emerged listlessly from the doctor’s office. Pei Jingmo stepped forward and, in front of the nurses, pulled her into his embrace. “You’re too tired. Let’s go home and rest.”

A clear assertion of possession.

Perhaps from exhaustion or sheer habit, Song Qingyu didn’t find Pei Jingmo’s gesture unusual.

The nurses, who had been gossiping moments before, were now wide-eyed, their expressions vivid and varied.

As the man held Song Qingyu and turned to leave, he shot them a glance.

That look was as chilling as an icy cellar, sending a shiver down anyone’s spine with just one glance.

No sooner had they stepped out of the elevator and taken a few steps than Chu Xingzhi suddenly shouted, “Sheng Yuru! Let go!”

Song Qingyu instinctively looked over. Sheng Yuru was gripping the Buddhist prayer beads around Chu Xingzhi’s wrist and pulling hard.

“The beads Song Qingyu gave you—you treasure them that much? You won’t even let me see them!”

Sheng Yuru snorted lightly. “If you don’t want me to look, I won’t.”

Feigning anger, she released her grip. But the next moment, the beads snapped.

One by one, the beads fell to the floor, scattering everywhere.

Chu Xingzhi stood frozen, his mind blank for a long moment, unable to react.

Sheng Yuru, proud and smug, mockingly lamented, “Those beads Song Qingyu gave you are such poor quality. I already let go—it broke on its own. Don’t blame me.”

Suddenly, Chu Xingzhi shoved Sheng Yuru against the wall, glaring at her with murderous intent.

“You did it on purpose!”

Sheng Yuru hadn’t expected Chu Xingzhi to get so angry over a string of beads and grew tired of pretending. “So what if I did it on purpose? You and Song Qingyu are over. Yet you still wear the beads she gave you, parading them in front of me. Have you ever thought about how that makes me feel?”

“Why should I care about your feelings? I don’t love you! Don’t forget, we’re just using each other. You really think I’m going to marry you?”

“You—”

Sheng Yuru was about to retort but suddenly noticed Song Qingyu and Pei Jingmo nearby. Not wanting Song Qingyu to see her distressed, she snorted at Chu Xingzhi, “Your Xiaoyu is right behind you. Want her to give you another one?”

Chu Xingzhi was stunned, then glanced behind him.

When he saw Song Qingyu, he looked like a child caught in the wrong, releasing Sheng Yuru and approaching Song Qingyu awkwardly. “Xiaoyu, the beads you gave me have broken.”

For a while, Chu Xingzhi wasn’t sure what possessed him to insist Song Qingyu go to the temple to pray for the beads.

As long as the requests weren’t too much, Song Qingyu usually fulfilled Chu Xingzhi’s wishes, so she went to the temple and got him a set.

He remembered the master saying, “When fate brings two together, the beads remain intact; when fate separates, the beads break.”

Song Qingyu looked at the scattered beads and smiled with acceptance. “It’s fine.”

“What?” Chu Xingzhi stared at her in disbelief.

“If they break, they break. Everything is arranged by fate. Jingmo, shall we go?”

Pei Jingmo glanced at Chu Xingzhi, who looked as if his soul had been drained, then his gaze fell on the beads.

His expression was even more terrifying than before.

“No… it can’t break… the beads can’t break, and neither can we—”

Chu Xingzhi, overwhelmed, frantically tried to gather the beads.

His mind was consumed by a single thought: if he could restring the beads, there might still be hope between him and Xiaoyu.

Sheng Yuru watched this scene, so furious she nearly had a heart attack.

“You see for yourself—Song Qingyu wants nothing more than for you to sever ties completely, so you don’t interfere with her family anymore.”

Chu Xingzhi seemed deaf to Sheng Yuru’s words, ignoring her completely.

Passersby watched the scene unfold. Sheng Yuru, unwilling to be treated like a fool, stomped angrily and headed toward the grandmother’s room.

Wu Yijun saw Sheng Yuru’s expression and knew she was in a fight with Chu Xingzhi.

She had hoped Chu Xingzhi would marry Sheng Yuru, so naturally, she wanted to smooth things over with his future daughter-in-law.

“Yuru, hospitals are full of germs and the smell is awful. Let’s go sit outside for a while.”

If not for putting on a show for the grandmother, Sheng Yuru wouldn’t have come to the hospital at all.

Hearing Wu Yijun’s suggestion, Sheng Yuru was pleased inside but showed concern on her face. “I want to spend more time with Grandma.”

The grandmother, aware of Sheng Yuru’s intentions, spoke softly, “I want to rest. Miss Sheng, you don’t need to stay with me.”

“All right, I won’t disturb Grandma’s rest.”

Wu Yijun said to the grandmother, “Mom, Aunt Liu has made soup; she’ll bring it over soon.”

“Understood. Go ahead.”

After speaking, the grandmother closed her eyes.

Not long after they left, Chu Xingzhi returned with a sorrowful face.

If there was anyone the grandmother worried about most, it was this grandson.

“Xingzhi, what’s wrong?”

As soon as the grandmother spoke, all of Chu Xingzhi’s grievances surged forth. He leaned on the grandmother’s bed, unable to hold back his tears. “Grandma, I can’t keep Xiaoyu. Now I can’t even protect the beads she gave me. If someone makes a mistake once, are they never to be forgiven?”

There’s a saying: turning back is the shore.

But why, when he turned back, could he never return to what once was?

The grandmother gently stroked her grandson’s head and sighed, “Child, some mistakes can be forgiven, but some things, once wrong, are simply wrong.”

She knew Song Qingyu’s character well, so she didn’t urge her to give Chu Xingzhi another chance.

Besides, now that she knew Pei Jingmo was actually Gu Yuandong, she understood her grandson stood no chance.

She could only advise him, “Xingzhi, Xiaoyu already has a husband and a family. You need to look forward.”

“But I can’t forget her. Every day I suffer and ache. Seeing her with Pei Jingmo, I want to kill.”

“Ah, if only you had known then what you know now!”

The grandmother’s strength was waning, and she soon grew tired. “Xingzhi, I understand your mother’s thoughts, but Sheng Yuru isn’t right for you. I hope your future spouse is someone you love, not someone chosen for the Chu family or for advantage.”

Chu Xingzhi’s heart was torn apart. “But aside from Xiaoyu, I can’t love any other woman.”

“You must also learn to accept loss—”